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The Last Party

Writer's picture: Judith D CollinsJudith D Collins

Series: DC Morgan #1

ISBN: 9781728250960

Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark

Publication Date: 11/08/2022

Format: Hardcover

My Rating: 4 Stars (ARC)



It's the party to end all parties....but not everyone is here to celebrate.


On New Year's Eve, Rhys Lloyd has a house full of guests. His vacation homes on Mirror Lake are a success, and he's generously invited the village to drink champagne with their wealthy new neighbors.


But by midnight, Rhys will be floating dead in the freezing waters of the lake.


On New Year's Day, Ffion Morgan has a village full of suspects. The tiny community is her home, so the suspects are her neighbors, friends and family—and Ffion has her own secrets to protect.


With a lie uncovered at every turn, soon the question isn't who wanted Rhys dead...but who finally killed him.


In a village with this many secrets, murder is just the beginning.








My Review


Clare Mackintosh returns with her latest novel, THE LAST PARTY —a blending of psychological thriller, small-town mystery, and cop procedural in an alluring atmospheric setting centered around a posh New Year's Eve party, which will keep you guessing to the end.


Rhys Lloyd hosts a New Year’s Eve party. He is a singer, a celebrity, and a developer of vacation homes along Mirror Lake, which straddles North Wales and England in his hometown.


He grew up in the village of Cwm Coed on the Welsh side, where he became disliked for building a luxury vacation development on the British side that the villagers believed would spoil the area and price them out.


And by New Year’s Day, he is found dead on the freezing Mirror Lake.


There are two detectives on the case. Det. Constable Ffion Morgan of the North Wales Police and Det. Constable Leo Brady of the Cheshire Constabulary.


Needless to say, there was an awkward moment between them due to the New Year's Eve party. Ffion knows more of the village's secrets than Leo, who is more of an outsider.


There are many suspects and red herrings. Almost every character in the book has a motive to murder Rhys Lloyd.


We learn about the murder investigation and the time before his death from many suspects with motives at the party. Lots of SECRETS!


From multiple POVs: Ffion, Leo, Rhys, and Mia; Yasmin, Ceri, Clemmie, Blythe, Seren, Dee, Caleb, Steffan, Felicia, Bobby, and Glynis— both past and present.


As always, Mactonish keeps you in suspense and has lots of surprises. This would make for a great book club pick with a Reading Group Guide, discussion questions, and an interview with the author included.


The author was a police officer for many years, and it always shows in her expert writing, investigating, and twisty plots. I enjoyed Ffion's character, her secrets, and the well-done cop procedurals. I am looking forward to the next DC Ffion Morgan #2!


A special thank you to #Sourcebooks and #NetGalley for an eARC for an honest review. #CoverCrush



@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks

Pub Dat: Nov 8, 2022

My Rating: 4 Stars

Nov 2022 Must-Read Books






Praise


"The writing is superb. Wicked fun, devilishly clever, with echoes of Agatha Christie. This is a party you won't want to miss."

― Patricia Cornwell, #1 New York Times bestselling author


"Brilliant, so atmospheric....I fell in love with the courageous, complicated detective Ffion Morgan and I think readers will too."

― Ruth Ware, New York Times bestselling author of One by One


"I loved everything about The Last Party. Taut, pacey and so atmospheric with brilliantly executed twists and wonderfully written characters. DC Ffion Morgan is my new favorite detective. An absolute triumph."

― Claire Douglas, author of The Couple at No. 9


"Superb. A compelling murder mystery told with warmth, humor and enough red herrings to keep even the most seasoned crime reader guessing."

― C.L. Taylor, author of Sleep


"Expertly plotted and relentlessly gripping, a perfectly executed murder mystery. The whip-sharp and deeply likeable Ffion leads the investigation, introducing us to a cast of brilliantly realized suspects. I loved every page."

― Lucy Clarke, author of One of the Girls


"Clare Mackintosh is just getting better and better with every book. This is a wonderfully assured and gripping read."

― Peter James, creator of DS Roy Grace


"Whipsmart dialogue, droll observation, great characters and some very nasty business make this another standout from Mackintosh."

― Linwood Barclay, author of Elevator Pitch


"Detectives Leo and Ffion make a storming debut in this twisty, cleverly-layered tale of worlds colliding."

― Belinda Bauer, author of Snap


"Her best yet. A picturesque setting, wonderful cast and a pair of detectives you'll love. Plus I guarantee you'll never guess whodunnit."

― Mark Edwards, author of Here to Stay









About the Author



With more than two million copies of her books sold worldwide, number one bestseller Clare Mackintosh is the multi-award-winning author of I Let You Go, which was a Sunday Times bestseller and the fastest-selling title by a new crime writer in 2015. It also won the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year in 2016.


Both Clare’s second and third novels, I See You and Let Me Lie, were number one Sunday Times bestsellers. All three of her books were selected for the Richard & Judy Book Club. Clare’s latest novel, After the End, was published in June 2019 and spent seven weeks in the Sunday Times hardback bestseller chart.


Clare’s latest thriller, Hostage, will be published in June 2021.


Together, Clare’s books have been published in more than forty countries. Clare is patron of the Silver Star Society, a charity based at the John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford, which supports parents experiencing high-risk or difficult pregnancies. She lives in North Wales with her husband and their three children. WEBSITE



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